Antifriction bearing



July 30, 1929.

G. R. Bo'rT ET AL,

ANTIFRICTION BEARING Original Filed Nov. 5, 1923 fig-z.,

INVENTOHS Patented July 30, i929.

ear

GEORGE R. BOTT, OF STANFORD, CONNECTICUT, AND FREDERICK E. MUELLER, DE-

CEASED, LATE OIF-MOUNT VERNON,

NEW YORK, BY KATHERINE IVI. MUELLER,

EXECUTRIX, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO NORMA-HOFFMANNBEARINGS CORPORATION, OF STANFORD, CONNECTICUT, CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ANTIFRICTION BEARING.

This invention relates to anti-friction bearings, and more particularlyto a lubricant packed bearing of the type shown and described in thependingapplication for patent filed by George R. Bott and Frederick E.Mueller, on November 5, 1923, Serial No. 672,728, and of which thisapplication is a division.

As in the said original application, it is the purpose of the inventionto provide a simple and efficient means whereby ball or roller bearingswhen assembled at the place of manufacture, may be packed with asuitable lubricating grease by the application of grease holding oi'retaining means at one or both sides of the bearing in cooperativerelation with one of the bearing race rings to retain the lubricantbetween said rings and in intimate contact with the balls or rollers andthe cage in which the latter may be mounted.

Heretofore, in the manufacture of such bearings it has been customary tofurnish to the user the inner and outer race rings with the cage andballs or rollers therein assembled between said rings. The purchaserinstalled these bearings and then provided separate or additional mea-nsfor supplying lubricant thereto. Thus, lubrication of the bearings was asecondary problem depending upon the design of the housing which wasarranged to take care of the lubricant and to exclude such foreignmaterials as dirt, grit, dust, etc., which of course, seriously affectedthe efficient operation of 'the bearings and eventually caused such wearas to preclude their continued use.

In order to overcome the above disadvantages, we propose to attach toeither the inner or outer race ring of the bearing a dust eX-v cludingand lubricant retaining means which, when attached is in close proximityto the other bearing ring but not in contact therewith and also out ofcontacting relation with the cage or the bearing balls. Preferably, thislubricant retaining and dust excluding means is attached to the outerrace -ring and is provided. with a pocket which in effect constitutes acontinuation of the space between the inner and outer rings and enlargesthe capacity of said space for the reception of lubricant. During theopera- Serial No. 119,815.

Divided and this application filed July 1.

tion of the bearing, there is a tendency, due I l gagement with thewalls thereof to thereby produce a substantially leak-proof joint. Inthis manner, we effectually confine the body of lubricating grease andprevent the leakage or escape thereof, and at the same time alsopreclude the possibility of the entrance f of dust or grit between thebearing rings.

Vlith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theimproved antifriction bearing and in the form, construetion and mannerof arrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequentlyincorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein we have illustrated several simple andpractical embodiments of the invention, and in which similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1' is a sectional view showing a ball bearing provided with thepresent invention arranged in operative relation with a shaft andbearing housing;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through the bearing showing aslightly modified form of the device;

Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the lubricant retaining meansapplied to both sides of the bearing, and f Fig. 4 is a sectional viewshowing still anprovided with an integrally formed housing for thebearing to receive the end of the shaft 21. The inner race ring 22 ofthe bearing is fitted upon this shaft to rotate therewith while theouter race ring 23 snugly Vfits within the opening of the support 20.The cage 24 with the bearing balls 25 is arranged between these innerand outer rings and the balls positioned in the races thereof.. Ne haveherein shown a conventional closed type ball bearing, but it will becomeevident as this description proceeds that the essential features ofl theinvention are also applicable to open type bearings as well and ofvarious constructions commonly known in the art.

Thel outer bearing ring 24 at the juncture of one of its side faces withthe inner face thereof is provided with an annular groove 41 having aradially extending base wall 44 and an obliquely inclined or beveledouter wall 43. In other words, this groove gradually decreases in depthinwardly from the side face of the race ring. i

The inner race ring 22 of the bearing is likewise provided at its outerside and in the corresponding lateral face thereof with an annularrabbet or groove 42.

The lubricant retaining and dust excluding member generally indicated atis in the form of a stamped or die pressed resilient sheet metal plateof annular or ring-like shape. This retaining member is of channel shapecross sectional form having a narrow inner wall 46 and arelatively wideouter wall 47, the edge of which is outwardly bent or turned to form thebead thereon. The

outer wall'46 is provided with an inwardlyv projecting annu-lar flange48 at its edge.

It will be noted that the outer wall 47 of this channel shaped retainingmember is outwardly inclined from the intermediate connecting section ofthe plate between said inner and outer walls, the spaceibetween saidwalls forming a lubricant receiving or holding pocket as indicated at49.

In the application of the lubricant retainer, after the bearing ballsand cage have been assembled between the inner and outer race rings, thespace between theserinofs at one side 'of thecage is filled withlutbrica'ting grease of proper consistency, such grease being alsopacked into the pocket 49 of the retaining member 40. This member is nowapplied under pressure suicient to force the inclined outer wall of saidmember inwardly from its normal position so that the bead 45 on the edgethereof may -be engaged in the outer side of the groove 41 in the racering 23. As the retaining member is pressed inwardly,

isaid outer wall thereof snaps outwardly` by the inherent resiliency ofthe metal against the undercut or inclined wall of said groove andagainst the base wall 44 thereof, thus effecting a tight frictionalinterlocking connection between said race ring and the Wall of theretaining member so that the latter will ber 40 is positioned in therabbet or groove 42 of the inner bearing ring 44 but out of contact withthe walls of said groove so that said retaining member offers noresistance whatever to the free rotation of the inner bearing.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, we show a slightly different constructionwherein the inclined wall 43 of the annuLar groove in the outer ring 23has a slight depression or channel cut therein as shown at 43a at thebase or inner side of said groove. In this case, the outer wall of theretaining member 40 is not provided with a cylindrical bead as abovereferred to but is 'formed with a slightly out turned rim or flange 45.In forcing the member 40 to its applied position, this flange rides onthe inclined wall 43 and finally snaps outwardly into the shallow groove43a. This construction likewise will provide a secure interlockingconnection between the retaining member and the inner race ring.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings we have shown the lubricant retaining membersapplied to each side of the bearing. Each of these memcap has its endedge angularly offset in an outward direction and is adapted to beresiliently or expansibly fitted into the annular groove 82 yin the faceof the outer race ring 23. This cap may be provided with any suitabletype of spring seated valve indicated at 87 through which lubricant maybe forced so that the original supply of lubricant contained within saidcup may be replenished when necessary. i

In Fig. 4 another alternative construction is illustrated wherein theretaining member 100 is in the form of a shallow dished resilient metalplate having a radial inner portion and an angled or inclined outersection 101, the outward inclination of which with respect to theplaneof said inner portion is appreciably greater than in the constructionshown in Figs.` 1 and 2. The edge of this outer angled part 101 .of theretaining plate is slightly turned outwardly or flanged to snap into arelatively narrow groove 102 formed in the inner face of the. outer racering 23 in spaced relation to the lateral side face thereof, said groovein `this instance being closed at its opposite sides. It will also beobserved that in this construction the inner radial portion of theretaining ring or plate 100 when applied is disposed in spaced parof thebearing. The annular wall 86 of this allel relation to the side face ofthe inner bearing ring 22, said lubricant retaining member being of suchinternal diameter as to provide the necessary clearance with respect tothe periphery of the shaft 2l From the foregoing, description, it willbe seen that any one of the several constructions referred to willprovide a grease packed bearing of high efficiency which enables thebearing manufacturer to furnish such bearings fully equipped with anadequate supply of lubricant, the retaining means effectively preventingthe escape of the lubricant'J and also protecting the bearing againstwear due to the entrance of dust and grit upon the relatively movingparts thereof.

By thus providing means whereby the bearings maybe supplied with theessential parts thereof practically enveloped in a lubricating greasefrom the time they are assembled until put into use by the purchaser,during this interim, the bearing parts will be protected againstaccumulations of dust and dirt and moisture7 resulting in corrosion, sothat when the said bearings are applied in use, they will Operate attheir originally calculated efficiency. A

ln the foregoing description and accompanying drawing, several practicalalternative embodiments of the invention are disclosed. Nevertheless, itis possible that the essential features thereof may be exemplified instill other alternative structural forms, and accordingly the privilegeis reserved of resorting to all such legitimate changes in theconstruction and relative arrangement ofthe several elements as may befairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:

l. ln combination with a ball or roller bearing having an inner and anouter race ring, annular grooves in the inner surface of the outer racering at both sides of the balls or rollers, a shaft for the said ball orroller bearing, and means secured in said grooves and provided withmeans for holding a lubricant, one of said means extending over the endof the shaft.

2. A ball or roller bearing comprising inner and outer rings andanti-friction bearing members arranged between said rings, and alubricant holding cup having an annular resilient wall, said outerbearing ring and saidl cup wall being provided with coact ing meansthereon held in fluid tight interlocking engagement by the inherentresiliring ency of said cup wall, and said lubricant holding cup adaptedto extend over and receive the end of a shaft mounted in the innerbearing ring.

3. A ball or roller bearing, comprising inner and outer rings andanti-friction bearing members arranged between said rings, and alubricant holding cup having an annual wall extending laterally from theouter bearing and connected at its edges with said ring by a fluid tightjoint, said lubricant holding cup being adapted to receive andcompletely enclose the end of a shaft mounted in the inner bearing ring.

el. ln a grease packed bearing unit, inner and outer rings andanti-friction bearing members arranged between said rings, said outerring having an annular groove in its inner face adjacent one edgethereof, a stamped sheet metal member having angularly related wallsforming a pocket to receive and confine a body of grease against oneside of said bearing` members, one wall of said sheet metal memberhaving an edge outwardly flanged from the open side of the pocket andsaid wall resiliently yieldable withrespect to the other wall of saidmember whereby said flange may be engaged in the annular groove of theouter bearing ring to establish a fluid tight joint therewith andretainsaid member in assembled relation with the ring and in laterallyprojecting relation to one edge face thereof.

5. ln a grease packed bearing unit, inner and outer rings andanti-friction bearing members arranged between said rings, two stampedsheet metal members each having angularly Arelated walls to form agrease receiving pocket, said outer bearing ring and one of the walls ofeach of said sheet metal members havingv coacting means forming fluidtight joints between said members and the outer bearing ring at theopposite sides of said anti-friction bearing members and retaining saidparts in assembled relation with said sheet metal grease retainingmembers in laterally projecting relation to the opposite edge faces ofthe bearing ring.

ln testimony that we claim the foregoing as the invention of GEORGE R.Born-and FREDERICK E. MUELLER, deceased, we have signed our nameshereto.

GEORGE R. BUTT. KATHERINE M. MUELLER, Eeewtfr'z'm of the Last W/ZZ andTestament of F redewlck E. Mueller, Deceased.

